A few months ago I spoke to my insurance agent
who was newer to me although we have been with the same company for about 20
years. I found out the people in their office love dogs, have adopted rescues
and were interested in my cause of stopping pound seizure. I was very elated.
I even sent my agent out a packet of information about our group.

Recently I had more questions and had to call our agent again. I noticed a
change in my agent's demeanor towards me--sort of like distrust. Later in the
conversation she said something to me like: "you would never burn down the
house of a dog dealer, would you?" I nearly fell off my chair! How could she
say something like that to me--a former law enforcement and church secretary
with a spotless record I am proud of who has never even gotten a ticket! Plus
we have had one claim in 20 years and pay our bill on time.

What changed her to become suspicious of me and therefore, my cause? Well,
obviously someone got to her to change her mind. Perhaps a co-worker who is a
hunter raised the question in her mind that maybe I was dangerous? Or a boss
told her that animal advocates break the law and have burned down people's homes
(which I have certainly never heard of). The only time I am ever dangerous is if
there are sidewalk sales at the mall! I was rather insulted and angry and
thought maybe I will change insurance companies if that is how they treat paying
customers.

Well--let's begin with how many people has our movement killed? Answer: 0
Of course violent people or people with mental issues can get into any
movement. Some people switch sides in movements because they don't care about
the cause, they just want to be "where the action is"-- and they want to be
involved in any fight. The opposition can place a "plant" in a group too, a
person whose purpose is to cause problems for the cause. The majority of animal
advocates are female and the majority of animal advocates have committed no
crimes.

There have been a few incidents of concern. But if you really research the news
there may be a headline in the newspaper or on TV that grabs you saying a crime
was committed and animal activists may be to blame. The "powers that be" love
to put those attention-grabbing headlines up. Later it is often found out we
were not to blame but by then it is old news or in a small column--yet, sadly,
the damage is done. People remember what is the headline or top story, not what
comes out later on P. 10.

I have mentioned before I often wonder what would happen to our world if the
headlines in our paper read on the front page in big letters: ELEPHANTS HAVE
BEEN CRUELLY CHAINED IN CIRCUSES FOR HOURS AT A TIME!" Or how about: "ONCE
AGAIN, A HUNTER ACCIDENTALLY SHOOTS ANOTHER HUMAN BEING TO DEATH!" The
placement of the news and how it is presented affects how we perceive things in
our world and sadly we too often allow the media to define how we think about
events in our world.

How Does the Opposition Affect Insurance Rates?

Well, let's see. First there are hunters. Not all hunters do these things of
course but some do accidentally shoot and wound not only each other but innocent
bystanders. So there are insurance claims including health care costs. They
sometimes shoot out power lines either out of frustration or when going after
targets like mourning doves which affects insurance and our energy bills.
Sometimes they have poor aim and hit buildings, farm animals, pets, vehicles and
people's windows.

Their frightened prey sometimes fleeing in terror smash through windows in homes
and businesses and someone pays for those windows and the damages inside. While
hunters chase deer, it's logical that the deer are more likely to flee across
roads increasing car/deer collisions--one animal group did a study on this and
car/deer collisions go up during hunting season yet the hunters don't get blamed
for that, instead our insurance rates go up, don't they? I have known some
hunters who unfortunately like to take liquor with them when they go hunting.
This may affect not only their aim but increase the chances for vehicle
accidents involving drunk driving as well as accidentally shooting of each
other. All covered usually by insurance.

Then there are the rodeo and circus people who get attacked by or fall off of
animals. I heard one rodeo rider bragging about how many times he was in the
hospital--almost like a badge of honor. Insurance companies must pay for those
health care costs assuming the people carry insurance. Or how about when the
elephants have gone on a rampage after being in bondage for so long or after
being possibly abused? I remember seeing videos on the news of children riding
an elephant who got "out of control" which I am sure scared them. I would think
parents would sue in rare situations like that. More insurance costs.

And what about traveling animal "businesses"? I once was at a mall where some
business had baby tigers where you could have a photo taken with them. I could
not believe the stupidity of the parents--I saw the teeth on those baby tigers.
A lawsuit waiting to happen not to mention cruel to both the baby tigers and
some of the terrified kids. That lawsuit would be paid for by an insurance
company.

Then there are those petting zoos with "exotic" animals who can and do bite.
Donkey basketball--there's another one, big time liability to the schools and
another lawsuit waiting to happen. Animals in research--didn't a researcher get
bitten by a monkey and contract a disease? Should there be improper procedures
followed in a lab, an animal gets loose, a bite happens from a terrified animal,
then there are more costs to consider.

Finally--if a community has pound seizure which is the selling of lost and
homeless pets to research, caring animal lovers are less likely to pick up
strays. This means more strays and so the greater the chance of a dog running
out in front of a car and possibly causing an accident or biting someone. That
means increased health care costs too, doesn't it?

Of course many of these places and people do pay their own insurance premiums,
but what about the ones who don't or let their policy lapse because business was
down? Who pays for their emergency room visits? Sadly, you and I do in the
form of higher insurance premiums!! So insurance companies, get with the
program, will you? How about blaming the people who use violence as a "sport"
and animal cruelty as a "career" instead of blaming those of us who have
compassion for animals and want to make the world a better place?

Animal advocates in my opinion end up saving insurance companies money. How?
Through education. By teaching people to properly train their pets not to bite
and to care enough to keep them on leash or inside fences, by discouraging
people from owning exotic animals--that wildlife belongs in the wild--(less
likely to bite people there), by teaching children respect for living things and
so reducing the chances of a negative experience like a child grabbing at a
raccoon they find lying on the ground who could be sick, by teaching that
trapping animals in steel-jawed leghold traps can trap other living things like
children or pets, etc. Maybe insurance companies should be giving animal
advocates a discount instead!!

I will continue my work to help animals even though I am sure people will
continue to say ignorant things to me. Jesus, who was either the Son of God or
a really intelligent, compassionate person depending on your beliefs, was not
ashamed of His compassion, and neither is yours truly!!!

Judy
Staff: Animals in Print (free online animal publication)http://www.all-creatures.org/aip/Pawprints, Footprints & Animal Chatter (my editorials on mostly
animal issues--if you email me please indicate in the subject column it is about
one of my articles so it doesn't get deleted as spam--thanks)shortietek@aol.com"We exist to educate and through compassion and knowledge improve the lives
of all beings."